The Great Noise

The 2025 Triennial takes its starting point from the most fatal witch trials in Sweden’s history, which took place in 1675 at Häxberget (The Witch Mountain) in Ångermanland. Following a period of witchcraft investigations, more than 70 innocently convicted individuals, almost exclusively women, were executed and burned at the stake.

350 years later, this contemporary art festival brings together works by around 30 artists under the artistic direction of Karolina Aastrup and Helena Byström.

The title “The Great Noise” (Det stora oväsendet) highlights a local and historical dimension of the witch trials, but the societal changes and power structures that enabled these horrific events can be found globally and throughout history. Even today, we see how polarised societies, fuelled by inequalities, Othering, misogyny, and new technologies, can foster persecution and oppression.

The invited artists are part of a local, national, and international cultural context and approach the theme in diverse ways. The artworks address topics such as exclusion, violence, conspiracy theories, and environmental destruction, as well as goddess myths, creation stories, and visions of a how to build a better world together.

Out of the 32 participating artists, half are creating entirely new works or site-specific adaptations of existing pieces.

Afrang Nordlöf Malekian
Anna Norvell
Björn Ola Lind
Elin Berge
Elme Ämting
Ida Idaida
Joanna Lombard
Josefine Östberg Olsson
Jyoti Mistry
Katarina Pirak Sikku
Kayo Mpoyi
Kerstin Lindström
Laia Abril
Linnéa Falck
Lisa W Carlson & Jim Hoult
Maja Daniels
Maria Mäki
Marte Aas
Monica Sjöö
Nadine Byrne
Olivia Plender
Rebecca Sharp
Rut Karin Zettergren & Olando Whyte
Sam Hultin
Sigrid Holmwood
Simon Ferner
Tai Shani
Trinidad Carrillo
Ylva Westerlund
Zafira Vrba Woodski